I've had my TL for about 3 wks now and am starting to notice some sort of shimmy or so in mid-high 2nd gear. It doesn't happen all of the time but it is starting to be more frequent. Have any of you experienced this? Hopefully this isn't a sign of a big trans issue.

 

Search for transmission shudder and see if those posts are similar to what you are experiencing.

 

TONS of info about this.

Cliffs notes: Change the 3rd and 4th gear pressure switches and change the fluid to a Type F like Redline Racing or Amsoil Super Shift. Do it soon as the shudder is the last step before total failure. Shudder causes thousands of miles worth of wear on the clutches each time. While you're waiting to fix it, try not to let it shift under power. Shift manually and back off the gas when you shift, let it hit the gear and then get back on the throttle similar to a manual.

If it's not doing this on a shift then it's probably not the transmission as the shudder is usually isolated to shifts only. There's a small chance it's the TCC which the above will also cure. Regardless, the two steps above are mandatory if you want the trans to last even if there are no issues.

 

Great... Thanks for sending me in the right direction. Are the switches accessible by dropping the pan?

 

No pan on these. They're external and you can get to them by accessing through the wheel well. I didn't even have to remove the wheel, just turned it all the way to one side.

Look up the thread "very interesting conversation with my trans builder" and it will have a ton of info on these things with part numbers and an installation guide.

Switches get rid of harsh shifts when cold, harsh downshifts, and give better shift quality on all shifts. They will also get rid of the hesitation when going from park or reverse into drive. They need to be replaced every 2 years regardless of mileage. These cause tons of wear as they age and get out of calibration.